A disk cleaner is an utility application which helps in removing traces of cache and other unnecessary files from a computer. Using such an application, you can free up your hard disk space and make your computer run faster. There are many disk space cleaning applications available online today, but only a few of them are freeware. In this article we will try to list the best free Disk cleaners. Modern disk cleaners not only removes unnecessary files, but also offers several other options to clean and optimize a system. Similarly, there are many utility applications or software suites with disk cleaning option. So, which one is right for you? Go for a standalone cleaner or use a software suite with disk cleaning option? The choice is yours. But before paying for a disk cleaner software, why not try some freeware first? Find below some good freeware disk space cleaner applications.
Best Free Disk Cleaner Applications:
CCleaner:
My first recommendation is CCleaner, which is without doubt the best and most popular freeware disk cleaner. It cleans your hard disk by removing unused or unnecessary files and also protects your privacy by removing web browsing history. CCleaner has a registry cleaner option, which you can use to optimize your system registry. What’s more? This freeware application also offers options to edit startup programs list, remove software installed in your computer, perform system restore and securely erase free space or contents on a drive.
CCleaner comes with a neat, user-friendly interface. There are several options to define cleaning rules. You can specify what you want to be removed in the Windows and Applications tab. Apart from operating system and web browsers, CCleaner can also remove temporary & recent file lists from several third-party applications. To run the cleaning program, all you need to do is press the Analyze button in Cleaner section. After analysis is complete a list of files to be removed will be displayed. Then press the Run Cleaner button to remove those files. That’s it. Simple.
CCleaner runs on Windows XP, Vista, Windows 7 and Windows 8. There’s also a separate edition of CCleaner for Apple Mac OS X (10.5 to 10.8 Mountain Lion) operating system.
CCleaner Download Link: http://www.piriform.com/ccleaner/download
SlimCleaner:
Another good system cleaning application is SlimCleaner. This freeware application scans your computer to find and isolate junk, unwanted data such as Internet logs, browsing history and temporary files. But it also comes with a number of other useful tools such as system optimizer, software uninstaller, software updater, duplicate file finder, disk analyzer, disk wiper, disk defrag, solid-state drive optimizer, hijack log and Windows Tools. SlimCleaner utilizes community-sourced cloud data to suggest optimal settings for your programs, start-ups and services.
The cleaner feature in SlimCleaner is powerful and quickly finds unnecessary files on a system. The optimizer is actually a cloud-based optimization engine powered by real user feedback. The disk tools in SlimCleaner comprises of disk analyzer and disk wiper. These tools can help identify files that are taking up large amount of disk space and offer ways to clean drives or make sensitive information unreadable. You can use Hijack log function to identify startup items, ActiveX controls, toolbars, browser plugins and other third-party items that can hijack or modify your system.
SlimCleaner supports Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7 and Windows 8 operating system.
SlimCleaner download link: http://slimcleaner.com/
BleachBit:
BleachBit is a freeware disk space cleaner for Windows and Linux. It can clean cache, clear Internet history, delete logs, discard junk. It can also shred files, vacuum SQLite databases and overwrite free disk space. Currently standard BleachBit cleaners are available for more than 1200 common application. For each of those applications, there are separate cleaning options. The full list is available as a separate download, which you can easily import to the application. BleachBit also comes with Advanced cleaners for advanced tasks. For example: delete Linux localizations, vacuum web browser databases, execute yum clean for CentOS, Fedora, and Red Hat, delete Windows registry keys etc.
BleachBit is available for Linux and Windows [XP, Vista, and 7 (32-bit and 64-bit) operating systems. Official portable application is also available
BleachBit Cleaner download link: http://bleachbit.sourceforge.net/download
Wise Disk Cleaner:
Wise Disk Cleaner is a freeware disk cleaner. It removes junk such as temporary files, cookies, web browser history etc. Wise Disk Cleaner comes with an attractive, easy to use interface. Common junk files are easily detected and removed by the Common Cleaner option. On the other hand, the Advanced Cleaner option will let you dig deeper for removing unwanted files. There is a Slimming System option, which will help you removing Windows files that you may never use in future. This freeware application also comes packed with a Disk Defrag option. Overall, Wise Disk Cleaner is a handy disk cleaning tool both for novice and advanced users.
Wise Disk Cleaner supports Windows XP, 2003, Vista, Server 2008, Windows 7 and Windows 8
Wise Disk Cleaner download link: http://www.wisecleaner.com/wisediskcleanerfree.html
Disk Cleanup:
Disk Cleanup (cleanmgr.exe) is a component of Microsoft Windows operating system. This utility tool can easily free up hard disk space by removing files that are no longer useful. It can find and remove files in recycle bin, temporary files, compressed old files, setup log files, downloaded program files, offline files etc. Disk Cleanup comes packed with Windows. So, no additional installation required. The Disk Cleanup tool also offers advanced options to remove optional Windows components, installed program files and recent system restore points. The advanced options are offered in the More Options tab of Disk Cleanup window.
To start Disk Cleanup, press Windows Start button, go to All Programs, select Accessories, open System Tools option and click Disk Cleanup from the listed options. If the drive selection box appears, select the disk drive you want to cleanup.
DisCleaner:
DisCleaner is a portable Windows application for cleaning disk drives. It can clean several things such as Recycle Bin, temporary directories, application logs, prefetch files, thumbnail files, invalid shortcuts, CHKDSK file fragments, Internet Explorer temporary cache & cookies, .DS_Store files, old backup files and more. Discleaner has a clean & simple, user interface. Users can select what to clean and what not to. The Clean-up options are presented with description and distinct safety label (Safe, Secure, or Unsafe), which can help prevent accidental removal of custom files.
Discleaner works with Microsoft Windows 98, 2000, NT, XP, Vista, and Windows 7. It never touches Windows Registry and the footprint is also small (less than 1MB).
DisCleaner Download link: http://www.alexandrugroza.ro/mptec/software/DisCleaner/_download/index.html
CCEnhancer:
CCEnhancer is not exactly a disk cleaner. It is an add-on utility for popular CCleaner. Using CCEnhancer you can increase the power of CCleaner by downloading new rules and definitions for additional applications. Currently CCEnhancer definitions covers more than 900 additional programs. It means, your CCleaner install will be able to clean more than applications.
CCEnhancer program requires CCleaner. Before installing, ensure that you have CCleaner running on your system. This program works as a downloader of additional definitions. So, don’t forget to press “Download Latest” button to get the most recent version of the definitions.
CCEnhancer Download link: http://singularlabs.com/software/ccenhancer/
WARNING:
Disk Cleaners are designed to remove or delete files from a computer. Some of them are offered with advanced features, which if not used with care may result in an unstable system. So, be careful when you run the above mentioned or any other Disk Cleaners application. If you are not sure what you are doing, never use the advanced options (if available).